Decision Theoretical Framework for Sustainable Decision Making in Civil Engineering

During the last two decades, there is growing awareness that our world only has limited non-renewable natural resources such as energy and materials but also limited renewable resources like drinking water, clean air etc.. This led the so-called Brundtland Commission (Brundtland (1987)) to set up sustainability on political and scientific stages. Presently, it can be said that the general philosophical reasoning behind the aim to achieve sustainability in society is relatively well perceived. However, as of yet, no general criteria have been established to judge sustainability. The objective of the present project is to give clarity in regard to what sustainable decision making actually means and to provide a tool for
sustainable decision making when considering the planning, design, maintenance and decommission of civil engineering facilities. The project is thus concerned about the philosophical and theoretical basis for deriving sustainable decision. The results of the project will provide;
a) improved theoretical insight into the identification of sustainable decisions,
b) insights into the modeling of intra- and inter-generational consequences for society, socio-economy and environment and
c) specific strategies in regard to optimal sustainable decision making for civil engineering infrastructure facilities.
Whereas the results from a) and b) will provide an enhanced basis for societal decision makers and policy makers on mid and long term, the results from c) will facilitate an improvement of codes and guidelines for the design and maintenance of infrastructure facilities already on short term.

• Decision Theoretical Framework for Sustainable Decision Making in Civil Engineering (ETH Research Database 14948)